Path 2

Path 2

RENAISSANCE MAN

October 6, 2010

Beauty, Ryuichi Sakamoto’s 1989 album, was certainly that; a swift, searing alchemy of Western pop and traditional Okinawan and Japanese songs, it was a true feat of international expression. (The cameo from Brian Wilson didn’t hurt, either.) Sakamoto is at ease with hopscotching across borders; the Tokyo electronic composer remains the catalyst of the “Neo Geo” flux, an Asian/Western classical fusion genre. A solo star and former member of massive Japanese dance stars Yellow Magic Orchestra, the veteran artist has an astounding 50-plus studio albums and original soundtracks and an Academy Award (for his The Last Emperor score) under his belt. And onward he looks.